Flying from San Francisco to Las Vegas today to participate in this year’s EMS World Expo was a real…treat. 60 degrees on departure, 110 on arrival. I was secretly hoping for 120 just to say I managed a doubling of the outside temp!
After the taxi ride, the walk to the convention hall, and the walk to the hotel (did I mention it was 110? And don’t tell me “it’s a dry heat” — my oven is a dry heat), I’m now in yet another generically decorated hotel room, not even close to the strip.
I do this all gladly, and hope that, if you’ve never attended a national conference and trade show, you’ll get a chance to do so.
Twice a year our industry holds a national conference, and I have attended both over the years. For a couple of days I get to spend time reconnecting with friends I rarely see and make new new acquaintances. As importantly, I get to hear and see what other EMS professionals are doing in other regions of the country, not only in the presentations and lectures, but also in the hallways, restaurants and centers of adult libation. Even after a long time in the business, I still get jazzed to see what could be new developments and evolution in EMS.
The exhibit hall is also a great place to see trends and “what’s hot.” This year I’m hoping to see developments in provider safety in ambulance designs, data collection systems, and patient monitoring. It’ll be interesting to see whether science and business will intersect in new gear that can be shown to work.
It’ll be a busy 48 hours, and I’ll feel like a kid in a candy store. If you’re around the convention center this week, make sure to stop by and say hello!
